


Time After Time

by Jade10881



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-23
Updated: 2014-12-24
Packaged: 2018-03-02 23:33:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2830064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jade10881/pseuds/Jade10881
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>*Olicity fic*Felicity Smoak nearly dies in a car accident. Oliver realizes the depth of his feelings as he stays at her bedside, waiting for her to wake up. They try to navigate a possible relationship amidst a fake engagement and their visiting mothers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Oliver frowned at his phone. Felicity hadn’t texted him back yet. She was never away from her phone. She had left to go home an hour ago since it was an unusually quiet night in Starling City. He wanted to make sure she got home safely

“She’s probably in the shower or something.” Diggle says.

He glanced at his partner who sat in front of Felicity’s computer as a SCPD alert popped up. It barely registered as he thought of Felicity in the shower. He shook it from his head as he looked at his phone again, expecting her to berate him for being so overprotective.

He should have taken her home himself. He sighs and stands.

“Is there something we need to help with?”

“No, a fatal car accident on Main. They had to shut down the surrounding areas from traffic. Going to make it hell getting out of here. Must be pretty bad since they brought in a hospital helicopter.”

Oliver was about to give up and call Felicity when he heard The Arrow’s phone ring. It was Captain Lance.

“Captain.”

“There’s been a car accident.”

“I heard. Why are you calling me?”

“It’s your girl. She was in it.”

He knew that Lance meant Felicity even though he didn’t say her name. It was why she hadn’t returned his texts. The aching feeling in his gut disappeared only to have the pain increase a million times over.

He felt the bottom of his world come crashing down. He didn’t hear anything above the pounding in his head.

Fatal. Fatal car accident. Dig’s words echoed. He faintly recognized Dig standing above him as he slid to the ground. Dig’s voice was saying something after he grabbed the phone from Oliver.

Dig finally broke through.

“Oliver, she’s alive .. but Lance said she was unconscious. She’s badly hurt. He said they air-lifted Felicity to the ER.” Dig left out key facts and left in the basics. He could tell Oliver wasn’t up to hearing how Felicity’s car rolled over several times off the road after losing control. The other driver died on impact.

Oliver shot to his feet. Luckily he had already changed out of his Arrow suit into a sweater and jeans. He ran out of the fondry, ignoring Dig’s shouts to wait. He knew what Dig was going to say. He wanted to remind him that he was Oliver Queen and he should wait for his driver to take him to wherever he needed to go.

But he didn’t care. He wasn’t careful not to be seen. He jumped on his motorcycle and sped like a bat out of hell towards Starling City Memorial Hospital, breaking every traffic law in the book. This Oliver Queen didn’t care about appearances. He cared about her being hurt, alone, and scared. This Oliver Queen needed her to be okay, needed to see that she was okay and whole. He just needed her.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

When Dig arrived at Starling City Memorial Hospital after locking up at the fondry, he saw a furious Oliver hammering at the head nurse. He had been right behind Oliver but he had to contend with traffic. He was worried about Felicity as well and Oliver’s reaction wasn’t a good sign. He had to calm him down.

He saw Thea and Roy walk up. They stop him, wondering what was going on.

“What’s going on Mister Diggie? I’ve never seen Ollie so mad. I heard him down the hall.” Thea was perplexed and worried. She had never seen Ollie so out of control both before and after the island. There was always a veneer of controlled cool.

“That’s an understatement.” Roy muttered, remembering all the times Oliver went into overprotective mode since he started dating Thea. It was scary but not this scary.

“Miss Queen, they brought a friend of his in. A Felicity Smoak, I believe and I’m guessing they won’t tell him anything about her condition.” Dig explained, trying not to sound too invested or give away too much despite his worry. Felicity was irreplaceable on the team and to Oliver, he long suspected.

Thea’s eyebrows drew together.

“Oh, that blonde who works at the company. His friend?”

“I’m guessing they’re more than friends now by the way he’s acting.” Roy surmised, shrugging his shoulders which were covered his trademark red hoodie.

Dig walked over to Oliver.

“Mister Queen.”

Oliver barely acknowledged Dig as he turned his Arrow-glare at the head nurse. The rest of the nursing staff had scattered.

“I don’t care about your rules –“

“I’m sure you don’t Mister Queen. I know who you are and I know we have a wing named after your father. I know your mother is on the board of directors but we have confidentiality laws to adhere to. We can’t tell you anything about a patient’s condition unless it is to family. I appreciate your concern for your friend but if you don’t calm down, I’ll have to call security.”

Dig imagined Oliver going Arrow on hospital security guards. He decided it wouldn’t be a pretty sight nor would it accomplish what he wanted. He quickly intervened, breaking his bodyguard pose.

“Mister Queen, perhaps we should step outside for some fresh air and call Captain Lance.”

“I’m afraid the police won’t be able to help you.” The head nurse stated.

Thea jumped in, followed by an anxious Roy. She drew the nurse aside, apologizing for her brother.

Oliver buried his face in his hands.

“They won’t tell me anything.”

“I get that part but this isn’t helping. She’s right. The rules apply here. According to everyone else, Felicity is just your It girl.”

Oliver’s glare hit Dig as he gritted his teeth. Felicity wasn’t just anything. He knew what Dig meant but it still hurt. He glanced around, prepared to apologize to the nurses who were simply doing their job even if it meant it was keeping him from her. He saw Thea still speaking to the head nurse, with Roy.

“If she were here, she’d hack the records for us.” Oliver said, his heart still pounding. His hands clenched and unclenched.

“Yeah, I imagine she would if it was one of us. We’ll find a way. Lance probably has some info.”

Oliver saw the head nurse returning with Thea and Roy.

“I apologize for my behavior.” Oliver immediately said, calming down slightly but still distraught inside. He knew he was in the wrong by his behavior but he needed Felicity. She kept him calm and helped him to see straight.

Oliver was surprised when the head nurse who introduced herself as Sandy softened, putting her hand on his forearm sympathetically.

“No, I am. I didn’t realize .. “ She cleared her throat and went back into professional mode. She gestured for them to follow her. “I’ll show you to the private waiting room where you can wait.”

She took Oliver, Dig, Thea, and Roy upstairs to a private waiting lounge near the surgical suites with couches, a coffeemaker, TV, and magazines.

“Miss Smoak is still in surgery. There was internal bleeding that they had to stop before they could assess her condition. We have the best surgeon working with her. He’ll be out to speak to you when they’re done.” Sandy explained.

Oliver grasped her hand in appreciation.

“Thank you. If there’s anything she needs .. I’ll . I want her to have the best care.”

Sandy patted his hand understandingly before she walked off to return to her post.

Dig patted Oliver’s back.

“She’s a fighter.”

Oliver knew that but he didn’t want her to have to fight. He wanted to keep her safe, away from danger and pain even though he knew that wasn’t reasonable. He knew she’d fight him if he tried to lock her away in an ivory tower.

A new painful thought hit him.

“Dig, was this just an accident?” He said with a low voice even though Thea and Roy were across the room, putting on the coffeemaker.

Oliver could tell that the same thought crossed Dig’s mind.

“Lance said the other driver was drunk. I had Lyla run his name. Nothing suspicious came up. He did have a history of DUI and some petty drunk and disorderliness. Lance is running another search just in case.”

Dig saw Oliver’s hand rise as if he wanted to fire an arrow.

“Don’t go there, man. You can’t shoot up every business that sells alcohol. You couldn’t have done anything.”

“She wouldn’t have been on the road if she had already been home.” He immediately thought. She wouldn’t have stayed late at the lair.

“Don’t go there either. There’s a lot of what if’s in the world. It won’t change anything. It was her choice too. You can’t take that away from her.”

Oliver isn’t given a chance to respond before Thea throws her arms around him.

“I’m sure she’ll be fine, Olile.”

Oliver hugged his sister back, allowing her to comfort him though he wished it was Felicity that he had in his arms.

“Thank you.”

Oliver pulls back slightly as he looks between her and Roy.

“What are you doing here?”

“Oh, Roy’s friend Sin had her tonsils out. We were visiting her. We were heading home when we heard your bellowing. Relax. We’re fine.”

“I wasn’t bellowing.” He insisted.

“Yeah, I know bellowing when I hear it. Sit down. You look like you’re going to fall down on your feet.” Thea propelled Oliver towards the closest couch, knowing it was probably going to be awhile.

“You don’t have to stay.” Oliver told her as his hand fells from hers.

“Of course we do. I don’t know her that well but she’s obviously important to you and I want to be here for you.”

Roy brought over two cups of coffee. He hands one to Thea and one to Oliver. Thea makes a face as she sips hers.

“Although we may have to go get some real coffee and probably a food run soon.”

Thea and Roy leave Oliver alone and approach a waiting Diggle.

“Mister Diggle, is there anything we can do for you?” Thea didn’t know him that well but she knew he looked after her brother. For that, she was grateful. “Should we have a guard from the house come relieve you?”

Diggle smiled at her politely.

“I’m fine, thank you. I just started my shift.” He lied. He didn’t want to leave Oliver or Felicity. “I would like to know what you said to get the nurse do a 180 though. I thought we were really going to have to deal with hospital security and the police soon.”

Thea stumbled over her words.

“Oh, uh…”

Roy shrugged.

“We told her that Oliver and Felicity were engaged.” Roy explained.

Dig’s eyebrow shot up.

“Hey, his bribery, bullying and name-dropping weren’t getting him anywhere. And I didn’t think she’d buy that Barbie was a long-lost Queen.” Roy was unconcerned.

“And she believed you?”

“I told her that it was being kept quiet because of the media.” Thea said.

“I appreciate you were both trying to help but do you think that was a good idea? Oliver dislikes lies.”

“Well, we didn’t think it was a good idea for him to get thrown out of a hospital of all places and arrested either. You saw the way he was acting. I thought I was bad.” Roy said.

Thea shook her head.

“It’ll be fine. Felicity will be out of here soon and no one will know but us. It’s a little white lie.”

Dig let it go. There was nothing to be done about it now and he knew they were right. Oliver was uncharacteristically losing it.

Three hours passed, time drawing out as Oliver felt like he was trapped in purgatory again. The wall felt like they were caving in on him.

Captain Lance stopped by to get an update and drop off Felicity’s things, recovered from the accident site. Her computer and phone were smashed but he didn’t want to leave them lying around in case there was a connection to the Arrow on either. He knew she was smart enough to cover it up but he wanted to be careful for her sake.

Thea and Roy came back with coffee and food but Oliver didn’t touch his despite her verbal protests and Dig’s silent ones.

He wanted to smash something. Finally the doctor who performed the surgeon came in to speak with them, along with Sandy. 

“Mister Queen.”

Oliver stood up and crossed the room in three long strides.

“Yes.”

“I’m Doctor Wright. Miss Smoak made it out of surgery. They took her to a private room to recover. I’m sorry it took so long. I had to instruct the special nursing team I put together to care for her.”

“So she’s going to be all right?”

The doctor took him and spoke frankly, which he appreciated.

“I won’t lie to you. She was hemorrhaging internally badly, to the point it was affecting her organs. We almost lost her on the table but she is a fighter. The next several hours are critical.”

He heard Thea gasp next to him. Tears stung her eyes as she looked at Oliver apologetically. She didn’t mean to add to his fears. Roy put his arm around her, willing her to be strong.

“Miss Smoak has a concussion, bruised ribs, and a broken leg. All of which will heal in time. There is no abnormal swelling in her brain. I’m most concerned about the bleeding.”

Oliver thanked him, his brain slowly registering how bad this was but his heart felt light. He still had hope. It had to be a sign.

Doctor Wright gave them his pager number and told them not to hesitate to call if they needed anything after telling them that they’d be in touch.

Sandy smiles at Oliver.

“I’ll take you to your fiancée’s room. There’s a waiting room adjoining it if you’d all like to move there.

Oliver grabbed his coat and followed her, not noticing that she had called Felicity his fiancée. Dig, Thea, and Roy trailed after him. They gave him space and much needed privacy as he entered her hospital room. His insides burned as he saw her lying there, frail and bruised, looking so small in the sterile bed.

“Felicity.” Her name left his lips in a whispered prayer, as If she would open her eyes and reassure him that she was all right any second now. That she wasn’t going to leave him. Ever.

He noted the bandages wrapped around her right leg and the red scratches on her arm. Her long blonde hair had been hastily trimmed to her shoulders, probably before surgery. She wore a plain hospital gown. He gently took her petite left hand in his and kissed it.

Her skin was marred and cold but still so soft. He held it against his face, needing to feel her touch. He sat there, silently standing guard as if he could protect her from the silent foe. She was helpless, lying there unconscious. He needed to protect her. Whereas he kept her at arm’s length before, he couldn’t get close enough now.

He wanted to tell himself that she was all right but he couldn’t. Not until she opened her beautiful eyes. Not until he heard her say his name. Not until he could carry her out of the damn hospital. Not until he could hold her and kiss her.

He knew distantly that Dig, Thea and Roy were still there, a few feet away but he couldn’t acknowledge them. He wasn’t willing to leave her. He knew he should give Dig a moment with her but he selfishly couldn’t. Not yet.

He did what he hadn’t done since he landed on that island, even when he lost his father, or Tommy.

He prayed.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 

It was morning when Oliver was ejected from Felicity’s side and the waiting area by her medical team. He and the nurses needed time with her. He paced the lobby when he noticed a flurry of activity dying down. Several patrol cars and unmarked dark SUVs filled the parking lot. 

He turned to Dig questioningly. 

“They caught Klaus last night.” Dig said softly as they walked into a secluded corner. 

Oliver ran his hands over his face. He really needed a shave. 

“Any casualties?”

“Surprisingly no but the bomb squad had a scare. They brought in several gunshot victims. Nothing too bad.”

“Do you think I should have gone?”

“I can’t tell you what to do. It’s your life and your choice.”

“That’s not what I was asking.”

“I’m not going to tell you or not tell you to be with her. If you’re looking for an excuse, you won’t get it from me. Personally I think you did the right thing.”

“I can’t be both him and Oliver Queen. I don't know how.”

“Do you remember when I told you it freaks me out when you refer to yourself in the third person? But that aside, who says you can’t or that you have to be? I’m not saying you have to choose but there has to be a balance or you’ll be hanging it up sooner than later. You’ll burn yourself out. You can’t be everywhere and you need something for yourself.  
Felicity is what keeps you going, on both fronts.”

Oliver let his words sink in but he knew he could only trust his gut and let his heart lead. 

“Oliver, I need to talk to you.” 

Oliver looked up and saw Laurel bearing down at him. She looked upset. 

“Laurel, I apologize but it isn’t a good time.” Oliver walked past her but she stood in front of him. 

“That’s too bad. It isn’t a good time for me either. I just left my Dad’s hospital room.”

“Is he all right?” Oliver was concerned. 

“No thanks to you. Where were you last night?” Laurel lowered her voice but the accusatory and righteousness shone through. 

He knew she meant as the Arrow. 

“I couldn’t be there.”

“This isn’t a game. You don’t get to waltz in and take in the aftermath of whatever destruction you caused. I know I didn’t agree with what you were doing before but I thought you changed and you were making a difference. You can’t just quit when it doesn’t go your way, or you want to slink back into your own ways.”

The unfairness of her accusations washed over him but he didn’t react. He knew she was upset. Dig stepped back to give them some space. 

“I’m glad your father is all right. I am but I was where I had to be. So was he.” 

Oliver sees Sandy return and wave at him. He abruptly leaves with Dig following. 

Oliver leaves her behind when he sees Sandy walk towards him. 

“Is she awake?”

“I’m sorry but no. I just wanted to let you know we managed to get ahold of her mother. She’s on her way here. She said she’d arrive this afternoon.”

“Thank you.”

Oliver looks at Dig.

“I’ll have a car pick her up at the airport and bring her right here.” Dig says. 

“You can return upstairs to see her.”

Sandy leads Oliver back to the elevators. Dig follows them. 

 

Laurel knocks on the door of her father’s hospital room, a bag of magazines and puzzle books from the gift shop to keep him occupied. She nods at the police officer stationed at the door. 

She walks in and sits in the chair next to his bed.

“Are you hungry? I should have stopped for food. I can order in.” 

“No, they said I could get out of here in a few hours.”

Laurel raises an eyebrow.

“They said or you insisted?” She knew him better. 

“Darling, I’m fine. Stop fussing. It’s just a few scrapes. I’ve been through worse.”

“But you shouldn’t have to. I thought you were backing off being out there and taking more desk work. I mean you were promoted.”

“Sometimes I do more good behind the desk. But I need to be out there with my men sometimes.”

Lance’s doctor walks in.

“You wanted to see me?”

Laurel is alarmed.

“You said you were fine.” She turns to her father.

“I am.”

He pats her hand as he sat up in his hospital bed.

“I just wanted to see if Ms. Smoak is any better.”

“Who?”

“Uh, she was in an accident the other night. I was on the scene. She works at Queen Consolidated.”

“Oh.” A vague memory of a blonde IT girl rings in her mind.

The doctor shakes his head as he sifted through Lance’s chart and jotted down a few things.

“I’m sorry. There’s no change.”

“Let me know if there’s anything I can do for her.” Lance said.

“Her fiancé is taking care of everything but I’ll pass that along.”

“Her fiancé? Who the hell is that?” Lance didn’t even know Felicity was seeing anyone. Not that he pried but he liked to keep an eye out for her. She seemed like a good kid. 

“Mr. Queen. Quite a site. At least to the nurses. The young man hasn't left her side since she came out of surgery.” The doctor said absently as he puts Lance’s chart back and walks out. 

Lance’s eyebrows jumped to his hairline in surprise while shock colored Laurel’s face.


End file.
